The laws of entropy/thermodynamics states that ‘as one goes forward in time, the degree of disorder of any isolated or closed system will always increase, or at least stay the same.’ More popularly expressed: left to itself, any closed system will deteriorate to a lower level of organization.
This is true for thermodynamics and energy, but we see this in any kind of life. If you doubt this reality, just look at how a kids’ room looks after it is cleaned up and look at the same room two days later when mom or dad didn’t pay attention!
The laws of entropy are the biggest argument against spontaneous evolution of life. The reality we see around us is that things spiral down. They never spiral up.
If you have to manage in your vocational life, you know what I’m talking about. One moment everything is lined up, your team is all arranged, all noses are pointing the same direction, everybody knows what to do. You turn around and don’t pay attention for some weeks and you’ll find that you need to put in a fresh dose of energy to get back to the same organizational readiness of your team.
This also applies to our spiritual lives. Left to itself, it will deteriorate into a lower level of energy. Chaos increases, organization decreases. You can’t pump up your spiritual life on a Sunday or whatever day that you get some spiritual input and then trust it to remain at the same pumped-up level for the rest of the week. One Jesus-experience in the past is not enough to get you through life and into heaven in a glorious state.
As one pastor said it so fittingly: we leak. We leak energy. We leak spiritual air. We’re like an air mattress that has a tiny little hole in it. It feels like it is pumped up and sturdy to sleep on, but long before the night is over, you’re on empty and you feel the hard floor underneath.
The writer of Hebrews admonishes his readers: Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed (vs 12+13).
Your spiritual fullness needs topping up regularly. You need to inject new energy into your system on an ongoing basis. Our spiritual lives are not a closed system. It needs input, it needs topping up. Also, this Wednesday morning.